The sources of drinking water
(both tap water and bottled water) include rivers, lakes, streams, ponds,
reservoirs, springs, and wells. We purchase treated surface water from
Community Water System whose source is Greer’s Ferry Lake.

How Safe Is The
Source Of Our Drinking Water?

The Arkansas Department of Health has
completed a Source Water Vulnerability Assessment for Community Water System.
The assessments summarize the potential for contamination of our sources of
drinking water and can be used as a basis for developing source water
protection plans. Based on the various criteria of the assessments, our water
sources have been determined to have a low susceptibility to contamination.
You may request summaries of the Source Water Vulnerability Assessments from
our office.

As water travels over the
surface of the land or through the ground, it dissolves naturally occurring
minerals and, in some cases, can pick up substances resulting from the presence
of animals or from human activity. Contaminants that may be present in source
water include: Microbial contaminants such as viruses and bacteria,
which may come from sewage treatment plants, septic systems, agricultural
livestock operations, and wildlife; Inorganic contaminants such as salts
and metals, which can be naturally occurring or result from urban stormwater
runoff, industrial or domestic wastewater discharges, oil and gas production,
mining, or farming; Pesticides and herbicides which may come from a
variety of sources such as agriculture, urban stormwater runoff, and
residential uses; Organic chemical contaminants including synthetic and
volatile organic chemicals, which are by-products of industrial processes and
petroleum production, and can also come from gas stations, urban stormwater
runoff, and septic systems; Radioactive contaminants which can be
naturally occurring or be the result of oil and gas production and mining
activities.

In order to assure tap water is
safe to drink, EPA has regulations which limit the amount of certain
contaminants in water provided by public water systems. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) regulations establish limits for contaminants in bottled
water which must provide the same protection for public health.

Am I at
Risk?

All drinking water,
including bottled water, may reasonably be expected to contain at least small
amounts of some contaminants. The presence of contaminants does not
necessarily indicate that the water poses a health risk. However, some people
may be more vulnerable to contaminants in drinking water than the general
population. Immuno-compromised persons such as persons with cancer undergoing
chemotherapy, persons who have undergone organ transplants, people with
HIV/AIDS or other immune system disorders, some elderly, and infants can be
particularly at risk from small amounts of contamination. These people should
seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers. More
information about contaminants and potential health effects can be obtained by
calling the Environmental Protection Agency’s Safe Drinking Water Hotline at
1-800-426-4791. In addition, EPA/CDC guidelines on appropriate means to lessen
the risk of infection by microbiological contaminants are also available from
the Safe Drinking Water Hotline.

Lead and Drinking
Water

If present, elevated levels of lead can
cause serious health problems, especially for pregnant women and young
children. Lead in drinking water is primarily from materials and components
associated with service lines and home plumbing. We are responsible for
providing high quality drinking water, but cannot control the variety of
materials used in plumbing components. When your water has been sitting for
several hours, you can minimize the potential for lead exposure by flushing
your tap for 30 seconds to 2 minutes before using water for drinking or
cooking. If you are concerned about lead in your water, you may wish to have
your water tested. Information on lead in drinking water, testing methods, and
steps you can take to minimize exposure is available from the Safe Drinking
Water Hotline or at http://www.epa.gov/safewater/lead.

How Can I Learn More
About Our Drinking Water?

If you have any questions about this report
or concerning your water utility, please contact Randy Nicholson, System
Operator, at 501-335-8035. We want our valued customers to be informed about
their water utility. If you want to learn more, please attend any of our
regularly scheduled meetings. They are held on the third Monday of each month
at 6:15 PM at Damascus Town Hall located on Highway 65.

TEST RESULTS

We and Community Water System routinely
monitor for constituents in your drinking water according to Federal and State
laws. The test results table shows the results of our monitoring for the period
of January 1st to December 31st, 2013. In the table you
might find terms and abbreviations you are not familiar with. To help you better understand these terms we've provided
the following definitions:

Action Level - the
concentration of a contaminant which, if exceeded, triggers treatment or other
requirements which a water system must follow.

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) - the
highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water. MCLs are set
as close to the MCLGs as feasible using the best available treatment
technology.

Maximum Contaminant Level Goal
(MCLG) – unenforceable public health goal; the level of a contaminant in
drinking water below which there is no known or expected risk to health. MCLGs
allow for a margin of safety.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level (MRDL) - the highest level
of a disinfectant allowed in drinking water. There is convincing evidence that
addition of a disinfectant is necessary for control of microbial contaminants.

Maximum Residual Disinfectant Level Goal
(MRDLG)
- the level of a drinking water disinfectant below which there is no known or
expected risk to health. MRDLGs do not reflect the benefits of the use of
disinfectants to control microbial contaminants.

Nephelometric Turbidity Unit (NTU) – a unit of
measurement for the clarity of water. Turbidity in excess of 5 NTU is just
noticeable to the average person.

Parts per billion (ppb) - a unit of measurement for detected levels
of contaminants in drinking water. One part per billion corresponds to one
minute in 2,000 years, or a single penny in $10,000,000.

Parts per million (ppm) – a unit
of measurement for detected levels of contaminants in drinking water. One part
per million corresponds to one minute in two years or a single penny in
$10,000.

MICROBIOLOGICAL
CONTAMINANTS

Contaminant

Violation

Y/N

Level Detected

Unit

MCLG

(Public Health
Goal)

MCL

(Allowable Level)

Major Sources in
Drinking Water

Total
Coliform Bacteria

(Damascus)

N

1 Positive sample
in June

Present

0

1
positive sample per month

Naturally
present in the environment

TURBIDITY

Contaminant

Violation

Y/N

Level Detected

Unit

MCLG

(Public Health
Goal)

MCL

(Allowable Level)

Major Sources in
Drinking Water

Turbidity

(Community)

N

Highest
yearly sample result: 0.72

NTU

NA

Any measurement in
excess of 1 NTU constitutes a violation

and

A value less than
95% of samples meeting the limit of 0.3 NTU, constitutes a violation

Soil
runoff

Lowest
monthly % of samples meeting the turbidity limit: 97.7%

¨Turbidity is a measurement of the cloudiness of water. Our
suppliers monitor it because it is a good indicator of the effectiveness of their
filtration systems.

¨We
are currently on a reduced monitoring schedule and required to sample once
every three years for lead and copper at the customers’ taps. The results
above are from our last monitoring period in 2012. Our next required
monitoring period is in 2015.

TOTAL
ORGANIC CARBON

¨The
percentage of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) removal was routinely monitored by
our suppliers in 2013, and all TOC removal requirements set by USEPA were
met. Total organic carbon (TOC) has no health effects. However, total
organic carbon provides a medium for the formation of disinfection by-products.
These by-products include Trihalomethanes (THMs) and Haloacetic acids
(HAAs).

REGULATED
DISINFECTANTS

Disinfectant

Violation

Y/N

Level Detected

Unit

MRDLG

(Public Health
Goal)

MRDL

(Allowable Level)

Major Sources in
Drinking Water

Chlorine

(Damascus Water Works)

N

Average:
0.49

Range:
0.2 – 1.1

ppm

4

4

Water
additive used to control microbes

BY-PRODUCTS OF
DRINKING WATER DISINFECTION

Contaminant

Violation

Y/N

Level Detected

Unit

MCLG

(Public Health
Goal)

MCL

(Allowable Level)

HAA5
[Haloacetic Acids]

(Damascus Water Works)

N

Stage
1 Compliance-Highest Running 12 Month Average: 51.6

Range:
22.5 – 96 site (YD005)

ppb

0

60

Stage
2 Investigative-Highest Running 12 Month Average: 47.7

Range:
29.2 – 75.3 site (YC004)

TTHM [Total Trihalomethanes]

(Damascus Water
Works)

N

Stage
1 Compliance-Highest Running 12 Month Average: 66.2

Range:
35.1 – 103 site (YD005)

ppb

NA

80

Stage
2 Investigative-Highest Running 12 Month Average: 63.4

Range:
39.7 – 117 site (YC004)

Chlorite

(Community)

N

Highest
Distribution System 3-sample Average: 371

Range:
87 - 642

ppb

800

1000

¨While
only the upper end of the ranges for HAA5 and TTHMs exceeded the MCL, it
should be noted that some people who drink water containing haloacetic acids
and trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience
problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous systems, and may have
an increased risk of getting cancer.

Naturally-occurring
element; historically, commercial use of strontium has been in the faceplate
glass of cathode-ray tube televisions to block x-ray emissions

Chlorate
(UCMR3)

(Community)

Average:
49

Range:
39.8 – 57.2

ppb

Undetermined

Agricultural
defoliant or desiccant; disinfection byproduct; and used in production of
chlorine dioxide

Chromium-6
(UCMR3)

(Community)

Average:
0.033

Range:
0.030 – 0.035

ppb

Undetermined

Naturally-occurring
element; used in making steel and other alloys; chromium-3 or -6 forms are
used for chrome plating, dyes and pigments, leather tanning, and wood preservation

¨Unregulated
contaminants are those for which EPA has not established drinking water
standards. The purpose of unregulated contaminant monitoring is to assist
EPA in determining the occurrence of unregulated contaminants in drinking
water and whether future regulation is warranted. MCLs (Maximum Contaminant
Levels) and MCLGs (Maximum Contaminant Level Goals) have not been established
for all unregulated contaminants.

VIOLATIONS
– Damascus Waterworks

TYPE:
Bacteriological Sampling

FROM:

TO:

CORRECTIVE
ACTION:

Failed
to take bacteriological samples in multiple sampling periods

7/1/2013

7/31/2013

Resumed
bacteriological monitoring as required by state and federal regulations